Galloway: Regions should decide whether to be part of independent Scotland

It came as the pro-union group launched its manifesto ahead of the Holyrood election on May 6. 

It has announced eight list candidates for each region of Scotland, but polls indicate it is failing to attract support. 

The All For Unity manifesto says a second independence referendum should only take place if a majority of Scots vote for pro-independence parties.

It argues a vote should not be granted if less than 50 per cent of all Scottish adults cast their ballot for a party pledging independence on May 6.

If a referendum does take place and a majority of Scots then vote to leave the UK, the party says individual regions of the country should be allowed to opt either to remain in the union or become part of an independent country.

Speaking during the manifesto launch, Mr Galloway said: "I wouldn't wish it to happen, but it would be an extraordinary irony if the break up of Britain gave birth to forces which then began to break up Scotland. 

"The country would be eating itself."

He said the demand for another vote for the regions would become "unstoppable". 

He added: "I know that in Dumfries and Galloway, where the great majority – more than two-thirds – oppose separatism, that the demand to remain in Britain would probably become a cause célèbre and probably become the settled will of the people there."

As well as Orkney and Shetland, he also referenced Edinburgh and its financial sector and Aberdeenshire.

The pro-union All For Unity has said it wants to be part of a cross-party coalition with Scottish Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MSPs after the Holyrood election next month, with Mr Galloway proclaiming he “is the one separatists fear”.

In its manifesto, All For Unity says the Scottish Government should be renamed the “Scottish Executive”, and powers should be devolved to the regions of Scotland, rather than central government.

It also proposes renaming the Bank of England the "Bank of Britain".

The manifesto states the SNP’s “14 years of corruption and failure have shown the constitution settlement to be flawed”, and calls for all Scottish funding to be “properly accounted for and audited each year by an external auditor”.

Mr Galloway, the party’s founder and lead candidate, said All For Unity’s candidates include businessmen, doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers and former military officers.

He said: “Politicians at Holyrood are rightly criticised for having little experience of the real world.

“We’ve got, without doubt, the most qualified and capable candidate list of any party to take the fight to the separatists in the next Scottish Parliament.

“All For Unity will open the books of the Scottish Parliament, tackle the scourge of separatism and #SaveOurScotland.

“I’m more Labour than Anas Sarwar, more pro-Union than Douglas Ross, I’m the one the separatists fear.

“On May 6, vote tactically, vote smart, vote A4U and get the SNP out.”

All For Unity leader Jamie Blackett said: “A few years ago it would have been inconceivable that I, a one-nation Conservative, would have been sharing a platform with a man of the left like George Galloway.

"And even more unimaginable that George would have joined forces with a wicked Tory like me.

“That we have done so underlines the deep threat facing Scotland from corrupt and authoritarian separatism.

“We want the return to Scotland of solidarity, community, excellence, entrepreneurship and good humour.

"We need unity not division in Scotland. We want a vibrant, self-confident country that is at ease with itself.

“We want everyone in Scotland to think of themselves, once more, as Scottish, rather than nationalist or unionist.

“Change is coming and it’s coming from the bottom up though a grassroots political movement, All For Unity. I commend our manifesto for change to the Scottish electorate.”